By Matt Trudell ’25
Wellness Day, a recent addition to Choate life, gives students a chance to disconnect from their work-filled lives and recharge by participating in a relaxing activity of their choice. This year, Choate held its annual spring term Wellness Day on April 23. From Zumba Fusion to Quandary Escape Rooms to cooking and baking, students could try something new or let loose with an activity that they already know and love.
Director of Student Activities Ms. Alex Long, who organized Wellness Day, helped run a nail painting session that was particularly popular among students. Ms. Long explained that nail painting is her “own form of self-care and [she] loved sharing [her] personal collection of over 100 colors with students.”
Another popular activity, organized by the Wellness Committee, was the virtual sports psychology workshop led by licensed professional counselor Mr. Max Groen ’15, who used his expertise in mental wellness to supply student-athletes with a toolbox of tips and tricks to manage stress and anxiety when competing in their respective sports.
Wellness Committee Leader Kiran Makam ’25 said that the workshop was significant for students because “there has been a high demand for a sports psychologist on campus to help athletes manage high-pressure moments and optimize their mental performance.” He added, “Anxiety can present itself differently in sports, so giving athletes the tools and resources to manage stress and anxiety in that specific environment is important.”
Workshop attendee and Varsity Lacrosse player Alex Krusko ’24 found the session to be very applicable to his own athletic pursuits. “I chose [this] event because sports are such an impactful aspect of my life. The mental side of sports has always been a struggle for me, so learning how to control my emotions and responses to parts of the game was a skill I coveted for years,” he shared. “Learning how I can respond from mistakes, either bad plays or overall bad games, gave me a lot of confidence moving forward.”
Many students found themselves outside enjoying the sunny weather through wellness activities such as spikeball, hacky sack, and lawn games. “I loved the breeze and warm weather while kicking the sack around with my good friends,” Gordie Leary ’25 said, who participated in the hacky sack activity. Leanna Robie ’25 agreed, “Because of our busy Choate schedules, I rarely get to go outside and just enjoy the weather, but [the wellness activities] let me put schoolwork and sports on pause and just get fresh air and spend quality time with my friends.”
While some students were outdoors enjoying the warm weather, many were indoors whipping up delicious treats. Kaylin Lam ’27, who baked cookies for her wellness activity, said, “I just enjoy the idea of baking because I feel like it’s such a simple activity, but it’s also so rewarding. You get to actually eat something delicious after and the process is pretty fun.”
Whether students practiced an old hobby or tried something new, Wellness Day offered the Choate community a chance to rejuvenate. According to Lam, in order to make the most out of Wellness Day, it is crucial to “go into it with an open mind.” Rather than viewing it as an inconvenience, she recommended students engage proactively in their activities and take advantage of the opportunity to unwind. “If you have the expectation that it’s going to be something you can at least enjoy for the moment, then I think [your overall experience] improves,” Lam said. “It [Wellness Day] really accomplished its goal: to make your experience just a little less stressful.”
